At home, they found Norbie tinkering on a pendulum clock in his workshop, and Anna told him news of Max and Nia’s official partnership.
Norbie set aside his tools and hugged Max. “Outstanding work, my boy!”
“Danke,” Max said.
Norbie released him, and then kneeled to Nia. “I’m proud of you, too!”
Nia licked his nose.
Norbie chortled and wiped his face.
After a dinner of diced turnip with specks of leftover sausage, everyone settled into the living room. Max sat at the piano, Anna and Bruno claimed spots on the sofa, and Norbie hunkered in a chair. Max played several folk songs, which Norbie sang out of tune with excessive vibrato. And all the while he was playing, he wondered if Bruno had the same affinity, as he and Anna, for Norbie’s beautifully bad vocals. He received his answer after the third piece.
“Max,” Bruno said, “it might be nice to hear something other than folk music. Do you know any marches?”
An impulse to perform another round of “Hänschen klein” surged through Max, and he fought away a smile.
“Max is a classical pianist,” Anna said to Bruno. “Maybe he should select a piece that he would like to play.”
“I don’t mind,” Max said, feeling appreciative of Anna’s attempt to prevent him from hearing more military marches. He placed his hands over the keys and played one of the marches that his comrades had once enjoyed. Finishing the piece, he turned on his bench and faced them.
“Well done,” Bruno said.
“Danke,” Max said, staring toward the sound of Bruno’s voice.
“It reminds me of the songs in the taverns near the front,” Bruno said.
“Where are you stationed?” Max asked.
“Lille, France,” Bruno said. “But my position keeps me on the move along the western front.” Bruno glanced at Anna, sitting beside him. “Unfortunately, my frequent change of location creates delays with the delivery of letters between Anna and me.”
Anna folded her arms.
“I understand from Anna that you’re anoberleutnant,” Max said. “Infantry, calvary, artillery?”
“At the beginning of the war, I was with an infantry pioneer regiment, but now I’m in artillery.”
“Oh,” Max said, thinking it was unusual for a soldier, even an officer, to move from an infantry to an artillery division. “What pioneer regiment were you in?”
Bruno shifted in his seat. “Thirty-six.”
Pioneer Regiment 36. Max’s mind raced, struggling to recall where he’d heard the name.
“I think that’s enough discussion of the war,” Anna said.
“I agree,” Norbie said. “I suggest we talk about something bright, like our futures and how good our lives will be after the war.” He grinned and patted his belly. “When the fighting is over and food is plentiful, I’m going to eat sauerbraten and spätzle until I bust out of my clothes.”
Anna chuckled.
It’s good to hear you laugh, Max thought.
“How about you, Max?” Norbie asked. “What will you do after a peace treaty is signed?”
Max extended his hand toward the floor. Nia padded to him, and he rubbed her head. “I’ll live in Leipzig with Nia, and I’ll indulge her with treats and belly rubs.”
“That’s the spirit, Max,” Norbie said. “What else?”
“I’ll find work as a pianist.”
